1. OK, list as many of your rights as you can.

2. Where do your rights come from?

• Federalists: Wanted
the Constitution to
replace the weak
Articles of
Confederation.

• Anti-Federalists:
Feared that the
Constitution gave too
much power to the
national
government.
• In order to get the
Constitution ratified,
Federalists promised
Anti-Federalists that the
first act of Congress
would be to pass a Bill of
Rights: a series of
amendments added to
the Constitution that
guarantee our rights.
Why did many people leave
Europe and come to America?
For religious freedom

Early in America, people

could not worship freely
 AnneHutchinson, banished from
Massachusetts
Framers wanted 1st amendment
to include freedom of religion
Why was this important to them?
 Religious restrictions in England
What does it mean to establish
something?
“Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of
religion.”
NO single church or religion can
dominate
“Separation” of church and state
Presidential Inauguration

Money

Pledge of Allegiance...
 “one nation under GOD”
No, not directly
 Government officials don’t say “GO
TO CHURCH”

Yes, indirectly
 Chaplains in the armed services
 Much debate over Religion and Education
 Parochial Schools- schools that are formed by
churches or have religious connections
 Ex. Calvary Christian

Everson vs. Board of Education

Courts decided it was constitutional to
use state funding for busing students
to parochial school, because it was for
benefit of student, not religion
 Should states give money to fund parochial
schools?
 The Lemon Test (1971)

 State $$ doesn’t violate Establishment

clause if…
 1. State aid must be secular

 2. Neither advance or inhibit religion

 3. Avoid excessive government

entanglement with religion
 Landmark Case
Engel v. Vitale (1962)
 NY school made a
nondenominational prayer for
students to recite in school
 Justice Black ruled that
government institutions
should not create prayers for
people to recite
 Courtbanned school-sponsored Bible reading
and recitation of Lord’s prayer

 1985- Court ruled unconstitutional moment

of silence for “mediation or voluntary
prayer”
 Also, banned clergy-led prayer at graduation

IN 2000, Supreme Court ruled

against student led prayer in
stadiums before football games
Equal Access
Act (1984)
 Allowed public high
schools to hold
religious group
meetings in school
2nd Clause
Part of 1st
Amendment
that forbids
laws
“prohibiting the
free exercise of
religion”
1. Congress passes a law banning the Muslim
religion. OK Not OK
2. The President takes his/her oath of office
by swearing on a Christian Bible.
OK Not OK
3. Governor Martin O’Malley announces that
he will only give government jobs to
Catholics. OK Not OK
4. The pledge of allegiance includes the
phrase, “one nation under God,”.
OK Not OK